ZCZC
BCN-38
TURKEY-US-POLITICS-ECONOMY-FOREX
Erdogan warns Turkey’s partnership with US ‘in jeopardy’
ISTANBUL, Aug 11, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
Turkey’s partnership with the United States may be in jeopardy as ties
strain, warning Ankara could start looking for new allies, in an op-ed
published in the New York Times on Saturday.
Relations between the two NATO allies have sunk to their lowest point in
decades over a number of issues including the detention of US pastor Andrew
Brunson on terror-related charges, prompting the Turkish lira to hit record
lows against the dollar.
The embattled lira tumbled 16 percent against the dollar on Friday, with US
President Donald Trump saying he had doubled steel and aluminium tariffs on
Turkey in comments that contributed to the currency’s further slide.
In the New York Times, Erdogan warned Washington not to risk relations with
Ankara, saying otherwise his country would look for “new friends and allies”.
“Unless the United States starts respecting Turkey’s sovereignty and proves
that it understands the dangers that our nation faces, our partnership could
be in jeopardy,” he wrote.
“Before it is too late, Washington must give up the misguided notion that
our relationship can be asymmetrical and come to terms with the fact that
Turkey has alternatives,” he said.
“Failure to reverse this trend of unilateralism and disrespect will require
us to start looking for new friends and allies.”
In a tweet, Trump announced the doubling of the tariffs — in new punitive
actions against Turkey, saying: “Our relations with Turkey are not good at
this time!”
Erdogan downplayed the currency crisis in a speech on Friday, advising
Turks not to be worried over exchange rate fluctuations.
He also said Turkey had alternatives “from Iran, to Russia, to China and
some European countries”.
The arrest of US pastor Brunson since October 2016 has soured already
deeply delicate relations with Washington.
In the New York Times article, Erdogan said: “Attempting to force my
government to intervene in the judicial process is not in line with our
Constitution or our shared democratic values.”
Trump has described Brunson’s detention as a “total disgrace” and urged
Erdogan to free him “immediately”.
BSS/AFP/HR/1418